Compared to the TdF the Vuelta just looks a bit crap on the TV. Can’t really figure out why though.

It’s not HD which doesn’t help but it not just that, what is it? I also don’t remember the constant helecopter noise from other races I’ve watched.

Even the commentators are duff. Where can I find Phil and Paul? I’m in cliche deficit.

Where can I find Phil and Paul? I’m in cliche deficit.

Dig deep in to your suitcase of courage, and you can make it!

I agree said the same to Mrs last night but she ignored me as usual.

Graphics are rubbish, resolution is rubbish.

At last a LALA free cycle race commentary.

I have to endure a weekly conference call with some techies from TVE – to describe their methods as chaotic would be very kind to them.

I’m in no way surprised that the coverage leaves a lot to be desired.

Loved tonight’s finish…you’d never see that in France, mental.

I agree. The coverage of Cycling’s Heads of State just isn’t as good. Really doesn’t do the sport of professional bike racing much justice.

Great racing for that last piece.

Bertie’s a druggie, but there’s something wonderful about watching “un danseur” on his pedals. Lovely to watch his style. Shame he’s an unapologetic cheat.

Froome looked controlled.

They are in the Basque country, they don’t want to get too close in case there is a fight.

My wife asked me today while watching the coverage ‘when did the proclaimers start doing cycle race commentary?’ 😀

most things in spain are below par
in catalunya they’re below par and expensive.
can’t say it though.I think that’s why so many things are like they are here,because the take any suggestion/complaint as a personal attack.
the cover on some small italian stage races is better than the vuelta coverage.

Theres more to sports coverage than meets the eye. I’m struck by the sound on the Vuelta coverage – which is a bad thing, I shouldn’t be noticing it but an awful lot of work goes into sports sound recording for you not to notice it. The higher profile sports event have massive effort and investment in the use of sound to convey atmosphere. The sound of the mens wimbledon final coverage (or more specifically the near silence) won a bafta a couple of years back for instance, and the olympics has thousands of sound men. Did you notice on the track cycling in a stadium with thousands of spectators cheering you could hear the chains on the bikes?

Lovely excerpt of a documentary on sports coverage and sound here

or you can download the full length version here (look for the yousendit link)

I suppose we are spoilt,in a sense.by the fact that so much of the tv/sports work done is so good that when it’s average,it’s crap.
look at the progression in mtb films,over the last 10years.
still,a strong ego grows through criticism.

Theres a line though… Theres more and more augmentation of sports coverage rather than just quality / clarity. The sounds of the oars you hear in the olympic rowing coverage are played by a guy on sampler – theres no way the crowd or even the rowers could hear them over the sound of the helicopters and motorboats. They are false but they are there to build a sense of ‘genuine’ atmosphere.

The question is though, when does augmenting become cheating – UEFA got their fingers burnt for cutting in scenes of fans crying to build tension in matches that weren’t part of the live coverage, but had instead been filmed earlier in the day.

The higher profile sports event have massive effort and investment in the use of sound to convey atmosphere

Agree

One of the first things I noticed when watching the Olympics road race was the sound of the motor bike engines. never noticed this on TDF and it is all the better for it.

I think it’s the lack of well-known commentators. I’ve also noticed that the roads, even though some may be narrow, arn’t cleared of parked cars. Perhaps, like the ToB, that devalues the percieved ‘value’ of the race.

I think the sound plays a big part. It’s the helicopters constant drone. I never heard that on the TDF.

Must be flipping annoying to actually ride in the peleton with a helicopter constantly overhead.

So the things I noticed being a bit low rent were:
– Crappy graphics
– Horrid red colour scheme
– Not HD
– Rubbish sound
– No lovely stabilised HD aerial shots of chateaus
– Spain is just a bit “brown” compared to France
– Parked cars all over the place
– Hoardings have crappier logos
– Flam(sp?) rouge equivalent looks like it’s made from scaffolding
– Motorbikes getting in the way of the finish line shot
– Less spectators

All of this just makes it look at bit crap.

Spain is just a bit “brown” compared to France

lol, low rent! It hasn’t rained here for months, do you think they should have watered the areas the Vuelta goes through just for the TV coverage???

Rest of it is fair enough, although the spectator numbers should pick up as the weather cools down.

in catalunya they’re below par and expensive.

Are you descended from Franco FFS?

Surprised they have enough money for the cameras, let along the cameramen…

IIRC this is the first year that the Vuelta has been on free TV. So I was so overwhelmed at actually being able to watch it at all that I forgot to pick up all the bad points.

I just assumed the normal commentators where on their holidays after the tour & Olympics

I shall watch with a more critical eye tonight

Watching the coverage on local basque tv and it’s fine, no chopper noise.

The way the Spanish economy is going, they,re lucky just to be able to stage the event.
And if you think it looks a brown now, wait til they head down south.

And if you think it looks a brown now, wait til they head down south.

They’re not going South this year, its all being held in the North of spain. Should make the racing more interesting, not as hot, more mountain top finishes = more attacking. Better looking countryside too.

Just checked out the rest of the stages. Apart from the finish in Madrid it looks pretty good,mucho mountains.
Andorra to barcelona will hurt a few legs.

Which cheat will win?